From the sacred waters of Varanasi to the magnificent tigers of Bandhavgarh National Park, India is a country of astonishing diversity – and you’ll see as many contrasts as possible on this ten-night trip. Start by zipping around frenetic Delhi by tuk tuk, sampling the city’s tastiest street food before catching the train to Agra for a spine-tingling sunrise over the Taj Mahal. From here, you’ll head to Varanasi on the sacred river Ganges, for a magical starlit Hindu ceremony and a dawn cruise to see worshippers bathing in the sacred waters. After Varanasi, you’ll travel to Khajuraho for a private exploration of the UNESCO-listed stone temples and their famously erotic carvings.

Then make for Bandhavgarh National Park, where your expert naturalist will take you on private game drives in search of the elusive Bengal Tiger. Round off your trip with time in relaxed Rishikesh, set in the foothills of the sacred Himalayas. The Beatles came here in the 60's to learn meditative practice and it has been a hub for spiritual seekers ever since. Our hotels here have been chosen for their proximity to nature – either next to the Ganges or lost in the foothills – and are excellent places to find calm after a busy week of sightseeing.

Itinerary

India

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Day One: Welcome to India

Arrive at Delhi International Airport to a traditional greeting of marigold garlands, followed by a private transfer to your hotel. After check-in, you’ll embark on an exploration of the city with your private guide. Travel by tuk-tuk down the grand boulevard of Rajpath (King’s Way) to the imposing India Gate, before heading to frenetic Connaught Place. Here, washermen (dhobi walas) soak hotel sheets, restaurant tablecloths and myriad clothing in the old-fashioned outdoor laundries tucked between the monuments. Have a drink at the perfectly-preserved, turn-of-the-century United Coffee House; or visit the Gandhi Smriti museum, where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last days of his life. Come evening, it’s time for a culinary trip by tuk-tuk, tasting some of the city’s best street food and heading behind the scenes to meet some of the chefs, bakers and families who have been providing fabulous food here for generations.

Overnight in Delhi

We offer a variety of hotel classes to suit different budgets. You can choose the style that’s right for you. Select from Classic, Premium or Deluxe when booking, and click hotel name below for more details.

Day Two: Discovering Agra

You’ll be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the station for the 8:00am Gatimaan Express train, scheduled to arrive in Agra at 9:30am. Then it’s time to explore this buzzy city of monuments and markets, once the capital of the grand Mughal Empire. Make for its second most famous UNESCO World Heritage site first – Agra Fort. Built as a military defence in the 16th-century, this imposing, red-brick building was converted into a palace by Shah Jaden a century later. Marvel at its marble stonework and countless courtyards, then drive through the city, past bustling bazaars and through tuk-tuk traffic jams, to Itimad-ud-Daulah, the tomb of a Persian nobleman that’s nicknamed the Baby Taj. Enjoy a free evening, before tomorrow’s early start.

Day Three: Taj Mahal and Varanasi

Take it two of India’s most famous sights today: First, you’ll rise before dawn to visit the Taj Mahal in the glorious Indian sunrise, when its marble exterior is at its most beautiful, reflecting the rose and golden tints of the sky. After returning to your hotel for breakfast and check-out, you’ll head to the airport to start your journey to one of the oldest cities in the world, Varanasi. You’ll arrive mid-afternoon, and check-in to your hotel ready for a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle on the River Ganges: The Ganga Aarti is a Hindu ritual that gives thanks to the sacred river. Under atmospheric moonlight, chanting and bell ringing mingle on the air, as singers and dancers in elaborate costumes perform by the water in clouds of headily perfumed incense.

Day Four: The Ganges and Khajuraho

Rise before 5:30am, for a sunrise boat trip along the Ganges. The early start is worth it: this is the best time to observe Varanasi’s daily morning rituals. Watch worshippers bathing in the sacred waters as they welcome the sun with chants and offerings to the river. Then it’s back to the hotel for breakfast and check-out before your private transfer to the airport. You’ll arrive in Khajuraho, home to a UNESCO-listed collection of exquisite stone temples, in the early afternoon. Check in to your hotel, then wander the Western temples with your private guide. Every inch of their delicate, 1,000-year-old facades are filled with intricate carvings, famously including erotic scenes, some depicting the Kama Sutra.

Day Five: Onwards to Bandhavgarh

After breakfast and check-out, you will travel the 140 miles to Bandhavgarh National Park, your home for the next two nights. On your way, you will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kalinjar Fort, a evocatively crumbling fortress city with far-reaching views over the plains of Bundelkhand. Some of the temples inside its walls date back to 300AD, and its walls and pillars are carved with delicate patterns, inscriptions and depictions of gods and goddesses. Later, you’ll continue to your lodge in Bandhavgarh, where you will check-in before dinner.

Day Six: Tiger Time

The forested wilderness of Bandhavgarh National Park has the highest density of tigers in India, and it is the home to a unique ecosystem. Leopards, sambar and barking deer all live among its trees, while egrets, hornbills, kingfishers and eagles populate its skies. Before breakfast, you’ll head out on a private safari drive with an expert naturalist guide (early morning is the best time to spot the region’s wildlife) in your own exclusive private vehicle. Return to the hotel by 10.00am for breakfast and time to relax, before a longer afternoon drive through the wilderness as dusk falls.

Day Seven: Back to Delhi

Your final morning provides another opportunity to search for wildlife as you take a game drive before breakfast. Check-out after lunch, when you will be transferred by private taxi to the Jabalpur airport for your flight to Delhi. Upon arrival you'll be transferred to an airport hotel for the night, ready for your flight to Dehradun in the morning.

Day Eight: To the Himalayas

After breakfast, you will be transferred by private taxi to the airport, to board your onward flight to Dehradun, the gateway to the Indian Himalayas. On arrival you'll be transferred to your hotel in Rishikesh, and have the rest of the day at leisure to settle in to the wondrous natural setting.

Day Nine & Ten: Time to Relax

The next two days are at your leisure, and can be as active or as relaxed as you want them to be. All the hotels chosen provide a variety of activities and facilities; from adrenalin-fuelled white water rafting and wildlife safaris to calming yoga classes and spa treatments (see below for more specific hotel details).

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